Rovers’ U18s side ran out 6-3 winners in an entertaining encounter against Hartlepool U18s.
Paul Stancliffe’s side were quick out of the blocks, creating the first opportunity of the game in the opening minutes, Omar Sanyang tried his luck with the ball creeping just wide of the right post.
Hartlepool took the lead inside 15 minutes, with their first real sight on Declan Ogley’s goal, as Ryan Robinson found himself with plenty of space to shoot from just outside of the box.
It took Rovers just over a minute to get back into the game when defender Robbie Miller produced some excellent footwork that saw him get past three defenders before being chopped down outside the box.
Captain Morgan James stepped up to take the set-piece and curled his effort it into the top-right corner, leaving Pools keeper Elliott Stephenson with no chance of saving.
Rovers then took the lead from there as Myron Gibbons played through Sanyang, who drilled the ball into the bottom-right corner.
Just on the verge of half-time, Hartlepool pulled themselves back into the game through Joe Jackson who headed home to send the teams in level at the break.
It was Rovers who had the first chance of the second-half, Gibbons tried his luck from outside of the area, but he pulled his effort just wide of the post.
From the back, Ben Blythe played a long ball forward that Gibbons latched on to, beating his markers and breaking through on goal.
Gibbons went through one-on-one with the Pools ‘keeper, and laid the ball across the face of goal to Rieves Boocock who was on hand to tap into the net.
Rovers were on the scoresheet once again as Gibbons broke through on goal, Stephenson rushed out his goal but was beaten to the ball by the young striker to slot past the keeper, extending Rovers’ lead.
The referee then awarded the home side a penalty as Blythe took down a Hartlepool attacker in the box.
Owen Jacob stepped up and converted the spot-kick into the bottom right corner, sending Ogley the wrong way.
Rovers’ persistence paid off when substitute Cameron Barnett was on hand to feed off scraps after Branden Horton’s shot was initially parried away by Stephenson, it landed at the feet of Barnett who was on hand to tap into an empty net.
In the dying moments of the game James wrapped up proceedings with another spectacular goal, he found the top-right corner of the goal after a well-worked corner.
The result maintains Rovers’ seven-game unbeaten run, in which six of them have been wins.